Israel Increases Greatly in Egypt
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Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
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Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
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Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
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4But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.
Pharaoh Oppresses Israel
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7Come, 8let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land."
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Therefore they set taskmasters over them 9to afflict them with heavy 10burdens. They built for Pharaoh 11store cities, Pithom and 12Raamses.
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But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel.
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and 14made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.
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Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,
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"When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live."
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But the midwives 15feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.
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So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this, and let the male children live?"
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The midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them."
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)